Letters to the Editor: Parting thoughts from a Holland City councilman

Parting thoughts from a Holland City councilman

I’m getting closer to the end of my term as a city council member. November will mark the end of 20 years of service to the City of Holland. I want to thank the citizens of the Sixth Ward for the opportunity of a lifetime to be their voice in city hall. It has been an incredible experience filled with challenges and opportunities, great accomplishments and collaborations. It’s very apparent to me Hollanders love their community and are willing to do the right things to ensure a sustainable future for the next generations. What an honor to be part of that evolution.

I’ve had a number of folks ask my opinion on the candidates running for the Sixth Ward. Let me say, from what I know, both candidates are good people and represent the human race admirably. I have had the opportunity to get to know Devin Shea and I am very impressed with what he brings to the table. He has a variety of life experiences that inform his understanding of how different people do life and what their needs are. He has a business background that would be very beneficial in navigating Holland’s economic future. Devin also has experience in city government and has a grasp on how that system works. Believe me that’s no small thing.

Being a council member is a part-time job, but requires a significant commitment of time and energy. Devin has that capacity. He is passionate about serving, thoughtful and knows how to listen. I would feel very confident having him as my representative and I urge you to give him your serious consideration and support.

David E. Hoekstra

Holland

Re-elect Bocks as mayor of Holland

In the 31 years since Nathan and Elizabeth Bocks made Holland their home, I have watched Nathan master the art of a well-balanced life. He developed a successful law practice, raised a family (including an adopted daughter with brown skin) and devoted countless hours to serving his church and community.

Nathan’s wide-ranging and selfless community involvement, on behalf of all residents, is second to none. He did not wait until retirement to get involved. Nor did he get involved to promote an ideology. For over 20 years he served on countless community boards and commissions. He is incredibly active in church leadership. Nathan has helped develop, nurture and train many of Holland’s civic leaders from all walks of life. He is Holland’s biggest cheerleader. He has a demonstrated record of community service.

Neither is Nathan afraid of hard physical work. I almost forgot to mention that he is a handyman extraordinaire. He single-handedly reroofed his house, built an impressive and welcoming front porch and has completed numerous other home improvement projects. Nathan is a man of all the people.

My wife was born and raised in Holland. We returned here to raise our family 34 years ago. Holland has had six mayors in that time. Under the leadership of Nathan Bocks, the City of Holland has been more transparent and welcoming than ever. Without doubt, Nathan Bocks is the most talented and accomplished mayor Holland has seen in my time here. He is unquestionably the best candidate in this election!

Please join me in re-electing Nathan Bocks as mayor of Holland!

Bob Hamilton

Holland

Support Grand Haven city charter for lower rates

Please be aware that there is a website that provides the average cost per kilowatt hour for electricity charged by Michigan communities. Much has been said by those opposing the proposed city charter amendment about the BLP’s excellent service and competitive pricing for its electricity.

There is no argument that the service provided by BLP linemen and all those involved in maintaining our community’s power distribution system has been terrific. But a review of Michigan communities’ basic rates reveals some surprising information.

Grand Haven’s average residential electricity rate is listed by the website at $0.1340/kWh. Now, it's true that neighboring communities using Consumer Energy electricity are listed, on average, as paying $0.1371/kWh or 2.3% more than Grand Haven users. And Michigan’s average residential rate is 5.4% higher at $0.1413/kWh. But residents of Zeeland, at $0.0873 kWh (34.9% less), Traverse City, at $.0962/kWh (28.2% less) and Holland, at $0.1030/kWh (23.1% less) are, on average, paying substantially less for their electricity than Grand Haven. Even though those opposed to the charter amendment use the BLP’s competitive rates for electricity as one of the reasons to keep things as they are, other communities with whom we are often compared are paying substantially less.

Per this website, Grand Haven charges commercial accounts $0.1464/kWh on average, which is 33.94% greater than Michigan’s average commercial rate of $0.1093/kWh.

In addition, Grand Haven charges industrial accounts $0.0941/kWh on average, which is 23.49% greater than Michigan’s average industrial rate of $0.0762/kWh.

The Grand Haven rates don’t present as rosy a picture as those opposed to the charter amendment would have you believe. The website supplying this information is electricitylocal.com.

Please support the proposed city charter amendment and vote"yes" for it on Nov. 7.

John Naser

Grand Haven

How can Huizenga support election denier Jim Jordan?

I have been keeping track of how our congressman, Bill Huizenga has been voting for the next speaker of the House of Representatives. I am sad to report that all three of his votes have been cast for the election-denying, "legislative terrorist", insurrectionist Jim Jordan.

It dumbfounds me how Rep. Huizenga can vote for this election denier while at the same time accepting the election results for himself. If the election was faulty, for one, it must have been faulty for all. But it has proven to have been a trustworthy election over and over again.

How can Rep. Huisenga continue to support this election denier? I know that, early on, Rep. Huizenga felt there were some irregularities in some of the returns. They have been investigated and found to be without merit. This election has proven to have been trustworthy and so how can Rep. Huizenga continue to support an election denier? I daresay most of his district accepts the election and has not participated or supported the insurrection of Jan 6.

I challenge our congressman to explain himself on this issue in this public forum. Our country needs the House to get this resolved as quickly as possible so we can get on with our domestic and international programs.

Ken Kuipers

Park Township

SpartanNash doing its part to treat animals ethically

I moved to Holland from Idaho in June. I feel very deeply about animal welfare, especially when it comes to animals raised for food. For this reason, I did some research of local grocery stores to ensure that I am spending money on ethical products. I learned that SpartanNash, headquartered in Byron Center and parent company of Family Fare and D&W Fresh Market, pledged to stop using cruel battery cages on innocent egg-laying hens in their banner stores nationwide, a commitment echoing widespread ethical concerns.

According to Senate Bill 174, all eggs produced and sold in Michigan must be laid by hens living in cage-free conditions or better by the end of 2024. Despite a looming 2025 deadline, SpartanNash’s progress remains undisclosed with only sales figures shared, which are often misleading. Additionally, the absence of the company’s disclosed plans raises questions about their commitment to ending the use of battery cages.

Hens subjected to harsh battery cage conditions are confined in quarters so tight that the birds can’t even spread their wings and often suffer debilitating physical and psychological trauma. I urge SpartanNash to share annual goals and progress updates toward the January 2025 cage-free target with the buying public. In so doing, I, along with other Michigan customers, can be reassured that the company is serious about contributing to a more humane and sustainable food industry that will benefit both animals and the ethical aspirations of consumers.

Chris Lenihan

Holland

This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: Letters to the Editor: Parting thoughts from a Holland City councilman